Overview

Explore history without the confines of time or distance. Dr. Isabel Soto is an archaeologist and world explorer with the skills to go wherever and whenever she needs to research history, solve a mystery, or rescue colleagues in trouble. Readers join Izzy on her journeys and gain knowledge about historical places, eras, and cultures on the way.

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9781429639729

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Dr. Isabel Izzy Soto, respected historian, anthropologist and colleague of Max Axiom, makes a strong, female lead in her series of graphic-like novels that span the subject matter gamut: investigations into the paranormal, historical events, and other research undertakings. Utilizing a special stone found in Thailand, Izzy is able to travel through space and time to get a well-rounded, multiperspective take on her current area of study. The Global Warming issue is not only timely, but full of adventure. While on a special mission in Antarctica, the good doctor finds herself perilously poised atop a broken piece of an ice sheet. Employing the stone, she transports herself to Greenland - in the nick of time - where she reunites with fellow climate change researchers. As the story progresses, readers are exposed to the theoretical hypotheses scientists of yesteryear held in regards to climate change, most noting it was for the better: warmer weather = better farming opportunities; less harsh winters. All this is done through first hand interviews Izzy conducts with scientists Jean Baptist Joseph Fourier (1800's), John Tyndall, and Svante Arrhenius (1896). Dr. Soto also looks into the demand for and consequences of fossil fuel usage and sums up our current state, with the development of the UN Conference on the Human Environment (1972), the first World Climate Conference (1979), and the 1990 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. She makes it a more personal, touching issue through a meet and greet with the Shishmaref Village near the Arctic Circle, where homes are crumbling due to thawing ice and erosion and the salmon population is dwindling due to warmer water. Overall, a great series. http: //vegbooks.org/index.php/2011/01/01/getting-to-the-bottom-of-global-warming-an-isabel-soto-investigation/-- Vegbooks Blog STAR REVEIW!! This book is important in its uniqueness. The format is that of a graphic novel (like a comic book) and will be engaging for young readers. The topic is global climate change, but from the perspective of a science historian. The protagonist (Isabel Soto) uses a handheld device to travel through space and time to visit historical figures, including famous scientists who have studied the issue of greenhouse gases and climate change. Among those who carry on a dialog with Soto are Fourier, Tyndall, Arrhenius, Henry Ford, and Guy Stewart Callendar. In the present time, Soto discusses her historical research with present-day scientists, with a stated goal of raising awareness of global warming. Also discussed are observations of present-day scientists regarding the melting of ice sheets and the work of international bodies such as the 1979 World Climate Conference and the 1990 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Although the book fills a previously unfilled niche, it is not without some minor faults. Throughout, the issue of global climate change is oversimplified as global warming. Also, the story ends abruptly after the problem is described and illustrated, without the denouement that could be provided with a discussion of what action the reader can take in light of the problem. This omission is particularly disappointing, given that the audience is a younger generation that is in a good position to make a difference. Still, the book will certainly engage young readers and will raise awareness, especially of the relevant historical context.-- Science Books and Films The Isabel Soto series is divided into two types; the Investigations and the Archeological Adventures. The Investigations give historical perspectives on current problems. Getting to the Bottom of Global Warming looks back at the historical beginnings of global warming, starting with the question What happens to the sun's energy after it passes through the Earth's atmosphere? all the way up to the current melting of the ice caps in the Arctic, Antarctic and Greenland. Rescue in the Bermuda Triangle examines the many different theories about disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle, including those science can't explain. These stories aren't meant to give the answers, but instead, to give the reader the foundations to think about the problem and come up with their own solution. The Archeological Adventures explore ancient cultures, focusing on either a particular aspect of the culture or the way people lived as a whole. In The Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellers, Isabel goes back in time to see how the Cliff Dwellers made their pottery and to investigate why a mug found at the site in the present was made the way it was. Escape From Pompeii has Isabel and a journalist going back in time (by accident) to see the ancient city the way it was before Vesuvius erupted, as well as the day of the eruption. They see the way the Romans lived, what they did for enjoyment, and finally how they reacted to the eruption, and how many met their end. All of the books are well written, with short, concise sentences for easy comprehension. They are broken up into chapters that focus on a particular topic, and there is a vocabulary/pronunciation guide at the end, as well as Further Reading recommendations on the topics. Also included throughout the stories are short asides that give more detail about something covered on the particular page, such as the graffiti found at Pompeii. The stories aren't just about teaching a topic, though. The information is woven into a basic plot and there is some action, and moments of danger for Isabel to escape from. The social sciences can be a tough subject to get kids interested in, with textbooks that emphasize dates and events more than the hows and whys that really make the subject interesting. Coming from a social sciences background myself, I think it's great that there's someone out there trying to show kids that history and anthropology can be just as fascinating as the harder sciences, which is just what these Graphic Expeditions do. These books would be a great addition to any library. http: //blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/goodcomicsforkids/2011/09/08/graphic-expeditions-isabel-soto/-- Good Comics for Kids blog

Author Information

An award-winning newspaper reporter and columnist, Terry Collins now writes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and graphic novels for readers of all ages. Some of his latest titles include biographies of Elvis Presley and Louis Armstrong. A National Board Certified English instructor, he now teaches literature and creative writing in his hometown of Mount Airy, North Carolina.

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